MERIDIAN, Idaho — Small businesses across Idaho continue to battle through the economic challenges of the pandemic and now another small business is trying to reopen in opposition to the state's phased reopening plan.
“I can’t afford to lose any more money. I’m 69 years old, I can’t start all over. I’ll lose everything,” said Vickie Long, the owner of the White Water Saloon in Meridian.
Like other Idaho business owners during the pandemic, Long told KTVB that she is out of options. So, next week on May 16, she’s opening up her business against Gov. Brad Little's phased reopening plan.
Bars and nightclubs are to remain closed until Stage Four, June 13-26.
“It’s not been good, I’ve been a nervous wreck. Worried about everything. My bills still go on, but when you have no money coming in it doesn’t work very well,” Long said. “I’m losing $30,000 a month, that’s a lot of money.”
Long explained while she did receive some Government funds, it simply isn’t enough for her and her employees to sustain.
“We’ve still have mortgages to pay, car payments, we have everything that everybody else has and we can’t pay that if we don’t have any income,” Long said.
Although restaurants are also facing tough times, some places can keep serving through delivery and carryout. At White Water Saloon, they can’t do a carryout bar.
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“No. It’s not like we can have carhops serving drinks out in the parking lot either, you know,” Long said.
So, she and her staff are getting creative, which is leading to a new way of how their bar functions and operates.
“All the bartenders will be wearing masks, everyone will have their temperature taken when they come through the door and their names will be written down,” Long said.
If there is someone who tests positive and does visit her bar, Long said they will use contact tracing from their log to keep their customers informed.
“If anyone who comes in happens to be tested and tests positive, I’ll have a log of who that person was with at that time and they can all go and get tested,” Long said.
She added that groups will be kept apart and staff will constantly disinfect and clean all surfaces. Drinks will also be served in single-use plastic cups.
Long also told KTVB that her customers really pushed for her to open.
“I have a lot of older people in the daytime that come in. If they don’t come by the White Water Saloon, people get worried and then they start looking for them,” she said.
Long understands she is taking a risk by reopening and fears what the repercussions may be, which could include losing her liquor license.
“I don’t feel they should be able to take that license because I had to open to keep my livelihood going,” Long said.
The City of Meridian explained what the city would do if a business violates the state's phased reopening plan in a statement:
“We are enforcing the Governor’s order based upon the legal interpretation of that order. We are responding to all complaints in an effort to educate the businesses and also ensure what steps they have taken to be in compliance. If they are not to be open, we will advise them what the order states. If we have to continue to respond to the same complaint we will write a report and submit it to the proper agency for enforcement. The Governor’s order does not give law enforcement the specific authority to close a business.”
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- Interactive map and timeline tracking Idaho COVID-19 cases
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- List of employers hiring during the coronavirus pandemic
- How to help southern Idaho nonprofits or get help during the coronavirus pandemic
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